Hi, I am new to Festool and I am not a professional woodworker. I am a homeowner who decided to attach a project bigger than herself and have some fun with furniture building. I am trying to make my life easier and more "precise" when it comes to wood projects. I purchased a TS55 with a 55" rail and a CT Sys. I was about to be ready to start when I realized that I actually need tons of precise cross cut. So here my assumptions and what my dilemma is all about:Assumption: I do not want a MFT table (way too much $$) but I would like to buy just the top. I have a beautiful workbench that fits my Festool Sys and has all the drawers for the screws etc. It has wheels. However it is 20"x60". So i need tpo figure out which top to buy. I might have to use cookies to rise it and be able to use the rest of the HW I will describe soon. Dilemma:Would it be better to use:1) http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/qspack/p/QSPACK/ or2) http://www.bobmarinosbesttools.com/61-402/p/61hhh402/ + 4 short bench dogsI both situations I should not need the additional festool clamps ($$$) and I should be able to do my cross cuts accurately. But it is not clear to me how deep 1) and 2) can go underneath the bench hole top. I watched most of the youtube video about the two products but I could not find a comparison videoIs there anybody in the community who have tried to accomplish something similar?I really cannot justify more money into this so I need to be careful to which combination of tools I will end up with. thanks for helping, kitui

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You could buy the Parf Guide System and make your own custom tracksaw cutting station: . That's how I made mine.

Or you could use the Parf Guide System and follow Dave Stanton's plans to make the Stanton Bench. He has a whole playlist showing how he made his: . The Stanton Bench uses Rockler Bench Cookies to elevate his bench. They just screw into some threaded inserts on the underside of the bench.

You can also just put your top on a pair of saw horses instead of rigging some thing for your existing workbench. I keep an over size self made top that lives in my van for site work. Another advantage to this is that it can be lower to work on and thus easier to reach across. I actually have two MFTs that I cut the legs down so that they are the same height as all my tablesaws and router tables.

hello, thanks for your suggestions. As I mentioned, I reviewed most of the videos available before posting my note. Unfortuinately spending $200 for a jig (wonderful although) is not a possible option, adding also the time for drilling is one of my concern. I am not even sure my drill would be able to work that hard. In few words, it is not very economical, if we also consider that I will have to add also $100 for the benchdogs etc. So the price will be $300. It looks like buying a MFT table top is after all cheaper. With respect to the option of rail dog, thanks RobBob for the advise, I will purchase those (they were my first choice too). THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU!!!

hello, thanks for your suggestions. As I mentioned, I reviewed most of the videos available before posting my note. Unfortuinately spending $200 for a jig (wonderful although) is not a possible option, adding also the time for drilling is one of my concern. I am not even sure my drill would be able to work that hard. In few words, it is not very economical, if we also consider that I will have to add also $100 for the benchdogs etc. So the price will be $300. It looks like buying a MFT table top is after all cheaper. With respect to the option of rail dog, thanks RobBob for the advise, I will purchase those (they were my first choice too). THANKS AGAIN TO ALL OF YOU!!!

one option to arrive at a 20mm hole pattern work top is to use the free download offered on TSO's website https://tsoproducts.com/plans-drawings/Email the downloaded CAD file to a nearby cabinetshop with CNC routing capability and get the finished top to of your choice for around $ 150.00 including the MDF. That's how the black surfaced top in our website was made by a Chicago customer of ours.

Hans

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TSOproducts.com

Home of the GRS-16 and GRS-16 PE Guide Rail Squares - the MTR-18 Triangle and Work Holding solutions

@kitui - it seems that using 3/4 inch MDF or HDF are the materials of choice for 20mm pattern worktops. Relatively inexpensive material and with a Parf GUide SYstem you can inexpensively replace it as needed.

For breaking down sheet goods we keep a sheet of 3/4" rigid foam insulation cut into quarters for easy handling and storage. Some use this approach with the sheets on the floor. We have a couple of collapsible saw horses (LOWES Kobalt) in our shop which accepts 2/4's to provide support for a 4x8ft sheet of hardwood veneer plywood. This provides a large flat support. The insulation board panels placed on top of that.

When we don't need it, it all stores quickly while taking up minimal space.

Hans

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TSOproducts.com

Home of the GRS-16 and GRS-16 PE Guide Rail Squares - the MTR-18 Triangle and Work Holding solutions